The primary energy savings potential of electric heavy-duty vehicles

Abstract

Recent commercial success of electric cars raises the question whether other vehicle sectors should consider electric powertrains. One of the more difficult vehicle sectors to electrify is the heavy-duty vehicle sector. Meanwhile, there are niches within this sector where electric powertrains provide more than just energy savings. One of these niches is the military vehicle sector, where a decrease in fuel consumption reduces the frequency of fuel convoys, directly preventing casualties. At the same time, electric powertrains offer operational advantages for certain military vehicles.

To show this primary energy savings potential, a hypothetical military vehicle is fitted with a battery electric powertrain and a fuel cell electric powertrain. The primary energy consumption of these vehicles is determined and compared to the diesel powered vehicle through well-to-wheel analysis. The well-to-wheel analysis is split in two. A well-to-tank analysis is used to reveal the primary energy conversion efficiency of energy carriers in operational and training circumstances. Energy demand of the vehicle can originate from driving the vehicle and from auxiliary systems on the vehicles. Therefore, a tank-to-wheel analysis is applied to assess the energy demand of the vehicle over specified drive cycles.

No clear primary energy savings potential for an electric powertrain in the studied vehicle is found and no primary energy savings potential for electric powertrains in other military vehicles is expected. The situation for other heavy-duty vehicles depends on how well the operational circumstances for the military vehicles resemble the operational circumstances for those vehicles. Heavy-duty vehicles used in mining and logging industries will see the same negative results from electric powertrains. The operational circumstances of other heavy-duty vehicles differ too much from the vehicle assessed in this study to reflect on their primary energy consumption.